Can't Compete
by Weasley.is.my.king204
Summary: Ron contemplates the second task of TriWizard Tournament and why Hermione was chosen for Victor Krum to save. Victor Krum is a handsome, 17-year-old Quidditch star, and Ron forces himself to realize that he can't compete with that.


Author's Note: Hey everyone, I haven't written in a while because I was so busy with school, but that's all over now. I graduate on Tuesday. :] Anyway, this weekend was Harry Potter weekend on ABC family which put me in the mood to write. I came up with this idea while watching "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire."

*The idea of Harry Potter and all of the characters belong to the brilliant Mrs. J.K. Rowling.

*Because Ron is thinking in this story, his thoughts will appear in _italics_ and the rest of the story will be written in regular font.

_**Can't Compete**_

It had been quite the eventful day for Ronald Weasley. Within the past 24 hours he had been placed under a spell, tied down at the bottom of the Black lake, and saved by his best friend, Harry. The second task had gone seemingly well. Harry came in second place because of his "moral fiber" and everyone had ended up safely on shore. Harry had waited at the bottom of the lake for the other champions to come retrieve their friends and even took Fleur's sister, Gabrielle, with him when Fleur didn't show up to save her. Ron came to just as he surfaced and helped Gabrielle to the dock while Harry fought off some angry mer-people. Gryffindor threw a wonderful party when the task had finished and people had been celebrating all day. Ron was permanently back on dry land, getting congratulated along with Harry, and Fleur had even kissed him on the cheek for helping save her sister. Despite the festivities of the day, and the joyous feeling that seemed to have swept every Gryffindor from 1st to 7th year, Ron couldn't shake the horrible feeling that had settled in the pit of his stomach.

_Why was she there?_

The question had been bothering Ron since the night before when he and Hermione were shuffled from the library to Professor McGonagall's room where she explained the second task to them. He knew why he was there. Professor McGonagall said that each person was chosen because he or she meant the most to one of the champions, he was Harry's best friend. He thought that Professor McGonagall had made a mistake. He and Hermione were both Harry's best friends. Perhaps she couldn't choose between them? Or maybe they decided to make the task harder for Harry because he wasn't supposed to be a champion? Ron was just about to ask Professor McGonagall why he and Hermione were both there when Barty Crouch walked in the room. Professor McGonagall explained that Mr. Crouch had to place the spell on each of them because he was a neutral party in the tournament. Since she was a Hogwarts teacher, it wouldn't be fair for her to cast the spells. As Crouch reached the front of the classroom he asked hurriedly, "Are they all here?"

"Yes," Professor McGonagall responded. "Cho Chang for Mr. Diggory," she pointed to Cho, who looked slightly frightened at the whole idea, "Gabrielle Delacour for Mrs. Delacour," a frightened young girl, with the same silvery blonde hair as Fleur's, smiled weakly, "Ronald Weasley for Mr. Potter," she pointed to him, and Ron gave a small wave, "and Hermione Granger for Mr. Krum." Ron's heart stopped. _Hermione Granger for whom? _ He whipped his head toward Hermione and saw that a slight shade of red laced her cheeks. Ron's heart had then started to beat twice as rapidly as normal, but he didn't have much time to confront the situation because within minutes he was under a spell, motionless and thoughtless.

Since he had awoken and brought Gabrielle to surface, all Ron could think about was hearing Professor McGonagall say "Hermione Granger for Mr. Krum." Ron didn't understand. Why would Hermione be there for Victor Krum? Why not one of his stupid Durmstrang friends or one of his Quidditch teammates? Ron understood all of the others. Each was chosen because he or she meant the most to a champion. Gabrielle was Fleur's sister, Cho was Cedric's girlfriend, and he was Harry's best friend. Who was Hermione to Victor Krum? Sure they had gone to the Yule Ball together, but that was only because Krum wanted to mess with Harry. Ron was at war with himself in his thoughts.

_They went to the Yule Ball together. But that was only because he wanted to mess with Harry. He knows that she and Harry are best friends. He just wanted to shake him up. She did look like she had good time; well that was until you upset her at the end. He was just using her. Victor Krum doesn't really care about Hermione. He was just using her. Then why was she in Professor McGonagall's office? Why was she chosen? She doesn't really mean anything to him._

Ron kept telling himself over and over that Hermione didn't mean anything to Krum, but each time he repeated it to himself the knot in his stomach grew a little tighter. There was no other reason that Hermione would have been chosen. _He must really like her._ Ron threw his head back onto his pillow and stared at the top of his four poster bed. That was it then. Krum really did care about Hermione. He cared enough for her to be chosen for him to save. Ron had no chance now. He couldn't compete with that, he couldn't compete with Victor Krum. Victor Krum was a handsome, rich, strong, 17-year-old Quidditch star. Ron was just a lanky 14-year-old who came from a poor family and wasn't really talented at anything. There was no competition between him and Krum. No one would pick Ron over Krum. Ron wouldn't even choose himself if he had the option.

Ron heaved a heavy sigh as he turned over on his side and pulled the covers out from under him. He was going to try and get some sleep. He doubted he'd be able to, but he was going to try. He's need all the strength he could get if he was going to face Hermione in the morning. He tightly closed his eyes in hopes that he would shut out all the feelings he had too, but he knew it didn't work that way. With nothing to look at, all Ron saw was Hermione and Krum; their dancing at the Yule Ball, their standing close together after he brought her to the dock, his looking at her while she studied, her cheeks getting ready at the mention of his name. No, there was no competition and Ron was just going to have to get over that. Ron had nothing on Victor Krum.

Hermione opened her eyes for the fifth time in past ten minutes. She'd been trying to sleep for close to half hour and was having a terrible time of it. She looked up at the roof of her four poster bed as she tried to push today's events out of her mind. Of course she had been flattered that she had been chosen for Victor. It was so nice to know that she meant so much to someone. _Why can't it be him though?_ She pushed that thought back out of her head as quickly as it had come. It was nice to be so cared for by Victor. She really did care for him too, he was sweet, and very handsome, and of course a Quidditch prodigy. How lucky she was to have someone so wonderful care for her so much. _Victor really is wonderful, he really is._ Hermione closed her eyes hoping that she could fall asleep soon. She didn't want to think about today anymore. She desperately wanted it to be a memory. _Victor's great. He's kind, and so handsome, and so talented. He really is wonderful._

As Hermione drifted off to sleep the thought that she had been trying to suppress for weeks finally surfaced, she didn't have the energy to push it away.

Victor Krum was wonderful, but he couldn't compete with Ron Weasley.

The End.

Hope you enjoyed it. Please leave a review on your way out! :]


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